MIAMI - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, announce the sentencing of Ramon Quintero Sanclemente. On November 19, 2012, U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas sentenced Quintero Sanclemente to 210 months in prison. In addition, the court ordered Quintero Sanclemente to forfeit to the United States $1.5 million in assets.

Quintero Sanclemente pled guilty on September 7, 2012, to charges that he had conspired with others to import five or more kilograms of cocaine into the United States from 1998 until December 4, 2008. Quintero Sanclemente was a former top lieutenant in the North Valley Cartel and, at the time of his capture, his drug trafficking organization was responsible for obtaining more than 50 metric tons of cocaine annually to export to Mexico, Europe and the United States. On January 14, 2010, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC) designated Colombian national Ramon Quintero Sanclemente as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker.

DEA Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Trouville stated, “The significance of Mr. Sanclemente’s sentence is clear that DEA’s perseverance will prevail no matter how long it takes or how these drug lords try to conceal their crimes.” The DEA is committed to working with our international and domestic counterparts to bring justice to all drug traffickers who seeks to gain power based on fear and violence.” U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “The success of this prosecution was due to the outstanding work and cooperation of our Colombian law enforcement partners. Thanks to their unyielding support, along with the DEA’s dedication to the war on drugs, we were able to prosecute and convict this notorious and dangerous narco-trafficker.”

The prosecution of Quintero Sanclemente is the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task (OCDETF) led by DEA. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

Mr. Trouville commends the outstanding prosecution efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.